Teamwork has the power to boost individual performance and drive company growth.
Although today’s workplace environments are often dispersed and digital, it doesn’t mean the team mentality has to go by the wayside. Teamwork can take place whenever members of your organization seek to accomplish common goals. If your workforce is remote, it’s even more critical that every staff member feels they’re an important part of the organization. That sense of belonging is a potent motivator and an excellent retention tool. To promote connectedness and build an enviable company culture, conducting regular, effective team building activities should be a mainstay for every organization.
Here are seven of the many benefits you stand to gain by instituting a robust team building strategy:
1. Build trust.
Excellent teamwork requires a lot of trust and team building activities can effectively establish that reliance quickly. No individual can win a team game alone, so coworkers come to depend on teammates’ help and expertise. A trusting team runs like a well-oiled machine. Team members don’t waste time bickering, tattling, and snooping. Instead, they spend their time supporting one another and focusing on the outcome.
2. Reinforce your company culture.
When you devote time and resources to team bonding, it reveals the kind of environment you’re seeking to achieve. It demonstrates that you value others and want to cultivate positive relationships within the organization. A company culture that values connections attracts top talent and increases employee retention.
3. Nurture friendships.
A 2018 Gallup study found that employees who have office friendships are twice as likely to be engaged in their work. Most likely, your team members aren’t in regular contact with everyone at your organization, especially if you work for a large firm. To overcome this challenge, team building activities offer opportunities for employees to get to know people from other departments.
4. Reveal hidden talents and strengths.
People tend to make quick judgments about others, making it hard to see their true potential. In the course of team building activities, coworkers often reveal surprising abilities. Who knew Betty in accounting is a budding artist and a whiz at graphic design? Or that Sam in HR enjoys writing in his free time and would love to help the marketing department formulate some creative copy ideas? Team building activities afford a more holistic view of peoples’ abilities which can translate to utilizing your employees’ talents more effectively in the workplace.
5. Support collaboration.
The best team building activities require members to work together to accomplish the end result. While cooperation is crucial for teams, it often requires practice. Team building exercises provide the perfect opportunity to collaborate and learn what workflow works best for your team, bolstering their efficiency in the process.
6. Inspire productivity through togetherness.
Employee isolation reduces productivity by 21%, according to 2019 research from Gallup. These feelings of detachment are enhanced amid remote work situations, so setting aside time for team building is a must. Team-oriented exercises relieve the stress of isolation, re-energize workers, and rekindle that all-important sense of membership.
7. Stimulate creativity.
Many team building activities require participants to use their ingenuity. Not only do these challenges give team members refreshing experiences to draw upon, they invigorate the imagination and build creative mental muscle. This kind of innovative spirit is invaluable in the workplace.
What activities are best for team building?
There’s no shortage of fun, engaging team building options. Even if your workforce is 100% remote, your staff can still interact with each other through carefully curated activities than can be modified for a virtual environment. And best of all, you don’t have to break the budget for it to happen. Here are some low-cost ideas to consider:
- Photography contest: Photo competitions are a great way of uniting people around a popular hobby while also providing insight into each other’s lives and interests. It’s a simple means of visual self-expression that can be performed and shared from anywhere, so it’s perfect for remote teams. You may learn that your colleagues and teammates have artistic talents you never knew existed.
- Show-and-tell: It was awesome in elementary school and it’s even better as a grown-up. Have team members share a prized possession with the colleagues along with the story behind its importance. Show-and tell is a great way for team members to get to know each other better and it can be done remotely, as well.
- Two Truths and a Lie: This activity is conference call friendly, since all you need is a WiFi connection and a little shrewdness. Give each participant two minutes to prepare two truths and one lie. Have each person share their stories and ask everyone to guess which is the lie. You don’t have to keep track of points because the fun is in learning about each other.
- Office trivia: Who says trivia night has to take place at the bar? Office trivia (or online trivia) is a great way to bring a group of colleagues together and challenge their minds. Break into equal teams and give small prizes to the group that scores the most points.
- Office tea party: Send your staff some tea and then set up a virtual fun call while everyone is enjoying their tea. The HR Team did this earlier this year and sent the staff tea drops from https://www.myteadrop.com.
- Take a cooking class: Cooking as a group takes cooperation, patience, and precision. It’s also a great way to boost the camaraderie on your team. You could take a virtual class or one at a local restaurant, school, or through a company that specializes in corporate cooking events. Check out CourseHorse or Groupon to find inexpensive classes in your area. If your team is virtual and an in-person session isn’t viable, online classes are offered through sites such as MasterClass and The Chef and the Dish.
- Outdoor picnic: Masks may be in order but that doesn’t have to get in the way of a fun, leisurely get-together in the beauty of a natural setting. Enjoy socially distanced games and food stations that emphasize safety for all attendees.
- Regular check-ins: Don’t underestimate the power of supportive gestures such as frequent communication with and among team members. Keep the conversation light and the tone friendly in order to build great rapport that will extend well beyond the pandemic.
While work is an important part of our identities, it only represents a part of who we are. Learning more about others helps us to respect our teammates on different levels, which ultimately leads to greater trust and respect.
A strong team culture is among the most powerful weapons in any company’s arsenal. For nearly 25 years, The HR Team has been helping companies improve the way their employees work together. Please reach out to our knowledgeable professionals to learn more.
About The HR Team: Founded in 1996, The HR Team is a Maryland-based human resources outsourcing firm committed to developing strategic, customized solutions that respond to the unique needs and cultures of organizations of all types and sizes. Available as a one-source alternative to an in-house HR department or on an à la carte project basis, the company’s flexible service models address the full spectrum of HR needs that many organizations struggle to address. The HR Team helps clients achieve their highest level of success by providing value-driven human resources services that leave them time to focus on what they do best: directing business growth and profitability. Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, the firm serves all of Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia. To learn more about The HR Team, call 410.381.9700 or visit https://www.thehrteam.com/.
